


How to ‘attack!!!’

by Kamekatze



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: Awkwardness, Canon Compliant, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-23
Updated: 2017-11-23
Packaged: 2019-02-06 01:50:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12806970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kamekatze/pseuds/Kamekatze
Summary: A supposedly lighthearted interview, set somewhere between the Cup of France and Nationals.





	How to ‘attack!!!’

**Author's Note:**

> This is fictional, obviously.  
> I just needed to have the boys sit together and talk about their favorite ice things and the like.

Please introduce yourselves!

(Yuzuru gestures for Shoma to go ahead. Shoma bows)  
S: hello, I’m Shoma Uno. I’m a figure skater of the national team of Japan. I’ll be representing Japan in the Grand Prix Finale this year, and-  
(Shoma lowers his voice)  
S: oh no.  
Y: what?  
S: that was tactless, I’m sorry.  
Y: why? It’s fine!  
S: Uhm.. because.. you won’t be in the final this year..  
(Yuzuru laughs)  
Y: hello, I’m Yuzuru Hanyu of Team Japan, and I’ll be fighting Shoma at the Olympic Games and the World Championships!  
(Shoma looks relieved)  
Y: let’s see who wins then!  
S: let’s see! I’m looking forward!

Tell us about your new programs this season!

Y: all my programs have been done before, but I really enjoy skating them and want to perfect them this season, in time for olympics!  
S: recycling...  
Y: well, you’re doing it too!!  
S: I am, but only half!  
Y: you tell them!  
S: my free program this season is from ‘Turandot’, an Italian opera. It’s about a prince who wants to fight for the princess-  
Y: did you actually read the translated lyrics?  
(Shoma pauses, then laughs)  
S: no?  
Y: I knew it!!  
S: anyways, the program has a very strong and emotional, but somehow calm and steady feeling. It gets really strong in the second half.  
Y: the second half is the best!!  
S: i try and do all combinations in the second half, because the music is the most powerful then!  
Y: really.. your jumping is crazy.  
(Shoma shrugs)  
Y: Anyway, you did this program before, but you really improved it this season! I think it really fits your strengths and your style.  
(Shoma blushes, laughs)  
S: why so many kind words!  
Y: now, what’s your new program?  
S: ah, it’s my short! It’s ‘Winter’ from the Four Seasons, so it’s a strong, fast paced program about the time when winter strikes the land! My mum loves this piece.  
Y: it seems really.. refreshing?  
S: .. no.  
Y: alright. Well, I for my part chose my favorite programs of the last three years!  
(Interviewer whispers)  
I: please keep it short  
(Shoma laughs)  
Y: I will try. Well. My short is Chopin’s Ballade, again. It’s a pretty calm program, but has some highlights. And then my free-  
S: the famous one.  
Y: it’s ‘Seimei’, and.. ah, I could say so much about this!  
S: please don’t get him started.  
Y: well.. I guess you would have to know the stories and the movie to fully understand the program, but I’ll say that I really, really, really enjoy portraying this strong, wise, powerful magician-  
S: your skating is magic.  
(Yuzuru laughs)  
Y: I hope it will be!

What about your exhibition programs?

S (forcefully): recycling.  
Y: hey!  
S: the swan.  
Y: it’s a good swan!!  
(He hits Shoma’s shoulder)  
Y: And you’re recycling all your exs, too!!  
S: well...  
S: I have three.  
(He holds three fingers close to Yuzuru’s face. Yuzuru rolls his eyes)

What is your favorite program you ever did?

S: well..  
Y: if your current programs aren’t your favorite, then you’re really doing something wrong!  
S: that’s true! If your program isn’t the one you like the most in that moment, I don’t think you could do well.  
Y: I don’t think you could. 

What is your specialty? What makes up your style? 

S: on a technical note, Yuzuru’s specialty is DEFINITELY the Triple Axel.  
Y: ah, thank you?  
S: definitely.  
Y: many people jump it though, and you-  
S: normal people don’t do a Quad Sal and then three clean Axels, in one combination! Three! It’s inhuman!!  
(Yuzuru looks defeated)  
Y: alright, I’ll take it. But as I was saying, Shoma was the first skater to ever do a Quad Flip! That was really cool. He even got a World Record Certificate!  
S: don’t you have like.. eleven of those? For each of your World Record scores?  
Y: still!! Anyways, besides our jumping, I guess we don’t really have a consistent style, because we change it up with every program.  
S: don’t we?  
Y: do we?  
S: I thought I could describe your style pretty well!  
Y: then, go ahead!  
(he motions to Shoma, who pauses to think)  
S: well.. when you do your Chopin or the swan, it’s obviously more quiet music, but you never seem weak or anything, even if you show lots of emotion. And then if you do Seimei, you really seem like.. a fighter or something, but you manage to make it magical? So I’d describe your style as.. serenity and strength.  
(Yuzuru looks impressed)  
Y: thank you? That sounds so nice!  
S: you’re welcome?  
Y: and ‘serenity’ is such a big word, too!  
(Shoma huffs)  
Y: I saw you studying backstage sometime, I guess it payed off!  
S: thank you?  
Y: such a model student. Shoma is the perfect man, really.  
(Shoma laughs)  
S: could you stop already?  
Y: alright, alright. 

Back to the question?

S: back to the question!!  
Y: back to the question.  
(Yuzuru scratches his chin)  
Y: now that you described my style so nicely, I think I have an idea of yours.  
S: really? Go on!  
Y: well, if I am serenity and strength, aren’t you.. emotion and power?  
(Shoma is dumbfounded)  
S: pardon?  
Y: and determination, maybe. And recklessness.  
S: wait, but.. serenity and emotion, power and strength... aren’t those the same things?  
Y: oh, my Shoma -  
(He shakes his head)  
Y: he will do his best to study more in the future.  
S: hey!  
Y: let’s move on!  
S: but! Hey!!  
Y: if we’re talking about our style, we shouldn’t leave out the things right in the middle of technicality and artistry!  
(Shoma sighs, gives up)  
(Yuzuru doesn’t go on, looks at him expectantly)  
S: what is it?  
Y: what’s in the middle of tech and art?  
S: uhm.. choreography?  
Y: close.  
S: step sequences?  
Y: .. no.  
(Yuzuru pretends to be some kind of announcer, sarcastically)  
Y: It’s our signature elements!!  
S: oh wow.  
Y: would you like to introduce them??  
(Shoma rolls his eyes, throws his head back, then resigns and complies)  
S: well, the move people like the most in my programs is the cantilever, so I make sure to always try and do it once.  
Y: it’s so hard though!!  
S: I have to have some leg strength, with my height..  
Y: last season, everyone wanted to learn it from him.  
S: I wasn’t a very good teacher.  
Y: they all failed miserably. You probably shouldn’t be a coach.

What’s Yuzuru’s signature elements then?

Y: ah, it’s.. they don’t even all have names.  
S: really, they don’t.  
Y: the first one is that.. sort of sideways lunge I started doing somewhere around the olympics.  
S: isn’t it the ‘pistol move’?  
Y: it might be?  
S: you need incredibly long noodle legs to do that. Same goes for Hydroblading.  
Y: are you jealous?  
S: not one bit. That’d just be more potential bruising surface.  
(Yuzuru laughs)  
S: you have two more things though.  
Y: how could I forget! Ina, my friend!  
S: he does an amazing Ina Bauer. Every time. All the time.  
Y: thank you!  
S: I still believe he must’ve broken his back at a young age.  
(Yuzuru giggles)  
S: that would also explain the Biellmann.  
Y: the Biellmann! That’s number four!

For laymen, what exactly is that? 

Y: it’s a kind of spin typically for women, and you just kinda..  
S: active upwards back-breaking.  
Y: that.. describes it quite well.  
S: i can’t do it.  
Y: you can fake if well enough!

What is your biggest weakness, or something you want to improve?

S: I always lose points because my landings aren’t clean, so I guess my biggest weakness is my height?  
(Yuzuru throws his head back, nearly falls of his chair laughing)  
S: but I guess I can’t improve that. In all seriousness, I could always improve something. The skater I admire most is Daisuke Takahashi, so to be a complete skater I should work on my artistry and expression, to show my growth.  
(Yuzuru giggles)  
Y: I thought you couldn’t grow anymore. (Shoma looks exasperated, rolls his eyes before smiling. Yuzuru studies Shoma thoughtfully)  
Y: I have something I really want you to improve.  
S: really? Well, you’re the gold medalist, so I’ll listen!  
Y: your motto-  
S: oh no.  
(Shoma giggles)  
Y: you’ve been doing “attack” for three years!! When will the attack stop!  
S: but it works!!  
Y: I guess it works.  
(They laugh, then calm)  
Y: well, I’ll be working on my Lutz, anyways.  
S: it’s been a long fight already..  
Y: I’ll have to continue to attack it!  
S: if you keep doing my attacking, then I might just steal your jump!  
Y: hah! Let’s meet at worlds then, and then see that!  
S: let’s do that!  
Y: oh, I’ve also had people urging me to ask you to improve your tie collection.  
S: don’t even start!!

Tell us about how you got to this point, at this moment!

S: through hard work.  
Y: yup. Through really, really hard work.  
S: people sometimes believe that athletes are naturally perfectly talented, but really..  
Y: we maybe were talented 4 year olds!  
S: once you find your interest or passion, even though people might recognize your skill.. you have to continuously tackle new challenges, set yourself new goals.  
Y: I also feel like you need a whole lot of luck, to have people who support you, to be financially and physically able to do what you love..  
S: I’m very thankful to have received those things and those opportunities. I’ve never been seriously hurt, so I was able to continue my training and growth for so many years-  
(He interrupts himself, lowers his voice)  
S: I’m so sorry. I.. really should stop talking. I’m so sorry.  
(Yuzuru sighs good-naturedly)  
Y: it’s fine.

Yuzuru, do you want to talk about the challenges you personally had to face?

Y: ah..  
S: uh.. I really don’t think you have to.  
Y: well..  
S: They can just edit this out.. I think he talked about this enough, through the years and recently?  
Y: no, it’s fine..

 

I apologize for asking.

Y: ah, please don’t worry! It’s all fine, as long as we’ll have lots to talk about anyways! 

 

Let’s move on then.  
Regarding your training and creative progress, is there anything you already know you want to change for next season?

(Yuzuru laughs)  
Y: Shoma, please-  
(Shoma sighed exaggeratedly)  
S: no.  
Y: but please-  
S: no!  
(They laugh, Shoma starts counting with his fingers)  
S: I won’t change my motto, I won’t buy more ties, I won’t pick my own music, and I REALLY won’t be eating more vegetables!! No!!!  
Y: you are amazing.  
S: well, what are YOU gonna change?  
Y: for one, I’m 100% going to win the Grand Prix Final next year.  
S: oh. Obviously.  
Y: and then.. maybe I’ll work on a new exhibition program?  
S: oh!! Is it gonna be more rock or more classic?  
Y: I’ll see what I feel like doing once this season is over. Maybe I’ll do whatever when I meet someone I want to work with.  
(He nudges Shoma’s shoulder)  
Y: this boy worked with Stéphane and David Wilson last year!  
S: ah. They were too good. I was star struck!  
Y: you need to work with them again!Come work with David in Toronto!  
(Shoma wheezes)  
S: Stéphane will steal me away to Switzerland before that.  
Y: honestly, I’m surprised you even know that that’s a country!  
S: add on to the list: I won’t be going out more and I won’t study Geography!  
Y: right, you said that skating is the only thing you’ll never avoid. That doesn’t mean you can ignore everything else!

We have to come to an end right about here. Thank you for your time so far -

S: thank you for the interview!  
Y: you’re very welcome, and thank you!

Do you have any last, wise words to share?

Y: uhm..  
S: always try and be better than the you of yesterday.  
Y: wow.  
(Shoma blushes)  
Y: let’s just end it here!  
(He bows and waves)  
Y: goodbye!  
S: goodbye! And thank you!  
Y: please watch our skating well!!


End file.
